The Power of Fear and Manipulation in 'The Crucible'
Why does Abigail join Tituba in the calling of names? What effect does this have on the other girls in the room?
A) Abigail is afraid of Tituba B) Abigail wants to protect Tituba C) Abigail is trying to deflect blame D) Abigail believes in witchcraft
Final answer:
In 'The Crucible', Abigail joins Tituba in the calling of names to deflect blame from herself. Seeing this effective strategy, other girls also start naming names, leading to a frenzy of baseless accusations.
Explanation:
In Arthur Miller's play 'The Crucible', Abigail Williams joins Tituba in the calling of names because she is trying to deflect blame from herself. Once Tituba starts admitting to witchcraft and accusing others, Abigail sees this as a perfect tactic to shift the focus away from her own questionable activities and she joins Tituba in accusing others of witchcraft.
This action has a significant impact on the other girls in the room. Observing Abigail and Tituba's success in shifting blame through accusations, other girls like Betty and Mercy also start naming names, creating a frenzy of hysterical accusations. This is a pivotal plot point demonstrating the power of fear and manipulation through false allegations.